The present invention relates in general to writing, scribing and lining instruments to be held in the hand such as pens, pencils, markers, styluses, etching tools, scribing tools and the like, and in particular, to a new and useful variable contour grip arrangement for a hand instrument of the type to be held between the fingers of the hand for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,089 to Schwartz et al. discloses an expandable grip section for a writing instrument which has a lower casing with two struts connected to a tip. A pair of deformable walls supported on a finger grip area around a hollow sleeve encompasses the struts. An expander element is between the sleeve and deformable walls. When the sleeve is rotated, the expander element causes the walls to deform outwardly. The struts themselves are not deformable.
Other patents teach shaped attachments which fit around the body of a writing instrument, such as the anti-nervous grip of U.S. Pat. No. 266,442 to Diedel. The grip is a triangular column which can expand to fit around different sized writing instruments. The flat panels of the triangular column are deformable to provide an improved grip section.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,441 to Colfelt discloses an adjustable grip section for a writing instrument. The grip fits over the writing instrument and has a deformable bulbous body enclosing an air space around the writing instrument. The size of the bulbous body may be adjusted by rotating two threaded members.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,598,873 to Peterson discloses a slidable finger grip for a writing instrument which is also used as a cap and a clip. The finger grip is cylindrical with convex sides. The grip is made of resilient material, such as rubber, but does not substantially change shape during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,463 to Pozil et al. discloses a pear-shaped cylinder writing grip for surrounding a writing instrument body. The grip is made of pliable rubber and shaped to improve the feel of the writing instrument when used over a long period. The writing grip is not integrated with the writing instrument.
Statutory Invention Registration (SIR), H 1050 to Petrillo discloses a resilient grip portion for a writing instrument body adjacent the writing tip. The grip portion is formed by a tubular segment having axial slots. The tubular segment may be integral with the writing instrument body, or a separate piece which is fit over the writing instrument body. The tubular segment is covered by an elongated sleeve.
A writing instrument with a deformable end for enclosing the writing tip is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,323 to Wittek. The writing tip is propelled outwardly through an expanding end of the barrel adjacent the grip section by depressing the back end of the cartridge the writing tip is part of. When the writing instrument is not used for several minutes, the internal construction of the writing instrument causes the cartridge and writing tip to retract back into the barrel. The grip portion of the writing instrument does not deform.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,307 to Heyden discloses a bulbous writing tip cover. The cover is positioned over the writing tip adjacent the grip and is intended solely as a protective cover for the writing tip.